Frank Scalice

Frank Scalice
Born	Francesco Scalice 1893 Palermo, Sicily
Died	June 17, 1957 (aged 63-64) The Bronx, New York City, United States
Cause of death	Gunshot
Resting place	Woodlawn Cemetery, The Bronx
Nationality	Sicilian, Italian, American
Citizenship	Italian
Occupation	Crime boss, mafioso, mobster, rum runner, businessman, racketeer
Known for	Boss of the Gambino crime family
Religion	Roman Catholic

Francesco "Frank" Scalice (1893 – June 17, 1957) (also spelled Scalise) also known as Don Ciccio and Wacky, was an Italian-American mobster active in New York City, who led the future Gambino crime family from 1930 to 1931, and was underboss from 1951 to 1957.

Boss

Scalice was born in Palermo, Sicily in 1893, and later emigrated to the US, settling in The Bronx. He operated his business from the Little Italy area in the Bronx. He also lived and raised his family in the City Island section of the Bronx. He was involved in many crimes, and became Capo in the Brooklyn-based gang of Salvatore D'Aquila. After the murder of D'Aquila on October 10, 1928, the power in New York shifted to Joe Masseria Manhattan-based gang.^[1][2] The successor of D'Aquila, Alfred "Al Mineo" Manfredi connected Masseria with the alliance, and came to conflict with Scalice.

On November 5, 1930, Mineo and his underboss Stefano "Steve" Ferrigno were murdered by Castellammarese Sicilians led by Salvatore Maranzano.^[3] Scalice became the new boss of the family and a strong ally and supporter of Maranzano in the Castellammarese War.

The Castellammarese War ended on April 15, 1931, when Masseria was killed.^[4] Maranzano met with the New York bosses in May 1931 to work out a peace plan and organize the Five Families. Scalice was recognized as the Don of one of the families. However, after the murder of Maranzano on September 10, 1931,^[5] new boss Lucky Luciano forced Scalice to resign as family boss. He was replaced with Vincent Mangano.^[6]

On September 8, 1945, Scalice helped mobster Bugsy Siegel open the Flamingo Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Scalice later became involved in the casino business.

Death

On June 17, 1957, Scalice was assassinated by two gunmen at a vegetable market in the Bronx section of New York.^[7]

Scalice's funeral was held at the Scocozza Funeral Home in the Bronx. Police and federal agents attended the funeral and the Bronx District Attorney subpoenaed all the visitor records.^[8] Scalice was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.^[9]

After his death, Carlo Gambino became Anastasia's underboss.

His murder is believed to have been ordered by Anastasia himself, who had sentenced him to death because Scalice was believed to have sold Mangano family membership to the highest bidder, leading to untrustworthy and incapable members.^[10]

References

1. Varese, Federico (1 February 2013). Mafias on the Move: How Organized Crime Conquers New Territories. Princeton University Press. p. 118. ISBN 978-0-691-15801-3. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
2. Ferrara, Eric (26 June 2008). Gangsters, Murderers and Weirdos of the Lower East Side. Lulu.com. p. 41. ISBN 978-1-4357-2507-2. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
3. Nash, Jay Robert (1995). Bloodletters and badmen: a narrative encyclopedia of American criminals from the Pilgrims to the present. M. Evans and Co. p. 424. ISBN 978-0-87131-777-3. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
4. Mayo, Mike (1 February 2008). American Murder: Criminals, Crimes and the Media. Visible Ink Press. p. 220. ISBN 978-1-57859-256-2. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
5. New York Magazine. New York Media, LLC. 10 July 1972. p. 38. ISSN 0028-7369. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
6. Ehrlich, Paul R.; Ornstein, Robert E. (16 December 2010). Humanity on a Tightrope: Thoughts on Empathy, Family, and Big Changes for a Viable Future. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 54. ISBN 978-1-4422-0650-2. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
7. "Scalise Inquiry Begins". New York Times. April 7, 1959. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
8. "Police Photograph Funeral of Scalice". New York Times. June 23, 1957. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
9. Frank Scalice at Find a Grave
10. La Cosa Nostra Database "Frank Scalise"